Brown Loses Bid for New Trial

posted by Alan McBride -
Aug 17, 2017

Former Florida congresswoman Corrine Brown lost a shot at a new trial Wednesday after a federal judge ruled against her request.

The former congresswoman had been found guilty of a grand total of 18 counts including wire fraud and filing false tax returns. Many of the charges had to do with allegations that she had taken money from the One Door for Education Foundation, which had been set up to help students from low-income families.

Brown had filed motions seeking acquittal and re-trial, according to court documents.

Brown's attorneys had contended that the judge in her trial should not have removed and replaced a juror who said he believed the former congresswoman was innocent.

Court records indicate the juror said he had felt guidance from "the Holy Spirit" directing him to that belief.

The judge in the case wrote that the juror would have been removed regardless of what he would have said.

Brown, 70, faces sentencing November 16, and faces the distinct possibility that she could spend the rest of her life in prison.

The former congresswoman once represented a district that snaked from northeastern Florida down to central Florida.

That district was redrawn to be more compact as part of a settlement over redistricting efforts.

Brown then lost her primary challenge under the new district in the 2016 election, and Al Lawson was elected to serve that district.